Automatic sheet-feeding device



a J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE .Aug. 12 1924.

. Filed Nov. "18 1919 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 fix r a L mm mm R l Il \M N r QNi Q 9 m A n.

Aug. 12 1924.

J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18 1919 9Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,914

J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18 1919 9Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 12 .1924. 1,504,914

J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18. 1919 9Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,914

A J. H. STONEMETZ I AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18 1919 v9 SheetsSheet 6 N N w Wv R} Gall/0&0 W,

Aug. 12 1924.

1919 9-Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 18

Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,914

.J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18, 1919 9Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug. 12 1924.

J. H. STONEMETZ AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18 1919 9Sheets-Sheet 9 llllllll'] Ill-I'll- |||l| .ll'llllllll. .ll-IILlltfiT--- H l UNITE t starts PATENT oFFicE.

JOHN H. STONEIJIETZ, OPE NEW LONDON. CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR TO THEBABCOGK PRINTING PRESS IZEANUFAGTURING COMPANY, OF NEW LONDON,CONNECTICUT,

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC SHEET-FEEDING DEVICE.

Application filed November 18, 1919. Serial No. 338,835.

To atZZ whom it may concern:

Be it Known that I, J OHN H. STONEMETZ, a citizen of the Unlted States,and a resident ofNew London, in the county of New Lon,.

don and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements. in .ztutomatic Sheet-Feeding Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to automaticmeans for taking sheets of paper orother stock singly from a pile or stack and feeding them to a machine.Although not limited to such use, my invention is particularly usefulfor automatically feeding sheets singly to a printing press.

One of the principal objects of my inven' tion is to provide a sheet.feeding device which will be simple in construction, easy to operate,and which will unfailingly take the sheets singly from a pile and feedthem to the printing press or other machine.

One of the advantages of the present device is that it will operateeffectively on light or heavy stock. Another advantage is that the wholeor a substantial part ofthe pile need not be combed out or extended ordisturbed, as the device causes no alterationing sheets to remainstacked in a perpendicu lar pile with. their edges even. In most of theautomatic feeding devices heretofore used the sheets are combed out sothat a number of sheets at the top of the pile extend some distancebeyond the pile or stack and the accurate separation of individualsheets depends upon the tendency of the upper sheets of the pile to slipupon each other when rubbed or combed, and this at best is not a veryreliable method of placing the sheets in condition for separation. Thepresent device does \not depend upon this well known combing action, andit is more reliable and uniform in its operation. In the former devicesreferred to the topmost sheet had to be entirely moved before the sheetnext below it could be held, where as, in the present case the sheetsmay be held at practically all times if desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a feeding device which'willtake the sheets singly from the pile and feed them to a machine orprinting press with the same decided advantage.

If the sheets have been printed on one side and it is desired to runthem through the press to print the reverse side the pile need not beturned, if the sheets in it are not right side up, but instead, thefeeding device may be set to turn or reverse the sheets as they are fed.No matter how the sheets appear in the pile nor which side is to beprinted the device may be set to feed either way to the press withoutinverting the pile. In some cases it may be desirable to remove slipsheets from the pile while other sheets are being fed to the press andin such cases the direct feed may be used to feed the sheets to thepress and the reversing device may be used for removing each alternateor slip sheet and for delivering it separately instead of to the press.

Another advantage of the present device is that it may be embodied inthe press structure or it may be embodied in an independent structure,the mechanism being adapted for either construction.

Another advantage is that the device may be readily thrown out ofoperation to permit the sheets to be hand fed from the ordiplication,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the feeding end of a printing press to whichmy inven tion has been applied, the feeding device be ing shownpartially diagrammatically, and showing the latter arranged to feeddirect or without turning the sheets,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the feeding device arranged toreverse or turn the sheets as they are fed singly,

Figure 3 is a similar view, partially diagrammatic, showing thereversing device thrown out of operation and the direct feed inoperation.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of part of the feeding device, showing thecams for operating the same,

Figure s a side elevation 5 means for howing the Figure 9 is a sideelevation of part of the frame and the support for raising the reversefeeding rollers,

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the parts in lowered position,

Figure 11 is a plan view of the reverse feeding device,

Figure 12 is an elevation of the combined direct and turning feedingdevices.

In the drawings I have shown only one end of a printing press to which Ihave applied my invention for feeding the sheets. It will be understoodthat the invention may be utilized for feeding sheets to any other Tikind of machine, but the present embodiment shows one of the myinvention.

I have shown at 41 one end of one of the side frames of an ordinary flatbed printing press- I have also shown the impression cylinder 67 of thepress, and the ordiprincipal applications of nary feed table 28 for handfeeding to the press, the latter, of course, not

' being used when the automatic feed is used, though parts of the lattermay rest on this feed table. I prefer to employ framesor standards 10attached to or formed integral with the press frame 41 as a support forthe feeding mechanism though the latter may be arranged on a structurewhich may be moved about separate from the press if desired.

There are brackets 68 extending upwardly from the frame, in which theshaft 3 is journaled: This shaft 3 is operated in any suitable manner,preferably from the main shaft of the printing press or other machine towhich the feeding device is ap plied; and from this shaft 3 all themechanism of the feeder is operated. Many of the parts of the feedingdevice are duplicated at opposite sides of the press and where the partsare duplicated they have corresponding. reference numerals. There arecams 2 fixed to the shaft 3 to revolve therewith and there are othercams 1 which are loose on I. this; shaft but which are secured againstthe faces of the cams 2 by means of the bolt and slotfconnectlons 4which permit the cams 1 to be adjusted circumferentially in relation tothe cams 2' inorder to adjust the period during which the feedingrollers are to act upon the sheets. There is a shaft 7 extendingcrosswise of the apparatus and slightly ahead of. and below the shaft 3,on which a pair of levers 16 are journaled,. as well as the pair oflevers 17. The former levers have rollers 69 on one arm which engage theperipheries of the cams 2 so that the levers are periodically rocked.The levers 17 have rollers 70 on one of their arms which engage theperipheries of the cams 1 so that these levers are also periodicallyrocked but at a different time to the rocking of the levers The forwardarms of the levers 16 carry a shaft 11 on which the sheet bucklingmembers are mounted. These sheet buckling members and the feedingmembers may all be made the same so that a description of one willanswer for all. There is a hub 71. on the shaft llprovided with flangesor disks 72 and between these are mounted on short shafts, the frictionrollers 15 which may be made of rubber, hard fiber or other material andwhich may be arranged to turn under tension. These sheet bucklingmembers are arranged to turn with the shaft 11 and there are preferablytwo or more of them spaced apart on this shaft to engage differentportions of the width of the sheets. The forward arms of the levers 17carry a cross shaft 12 on which are fixed the feeding members 14 whichare preferably made like. the members 13. These buckling and sheetfeeding members are revolved by means of a driving device to behereinafter described.

The pile 25 of sheets to be fed is placed upon the table 42 carried bybrackets 43 which are preferably elevated step by step automatically byany of the known devices adapted for the purpose. Above the topmostsheet of the pile I have arranged a sheet holder or presser foot 18supported upon the arms 19 and placed to the left of the members 13 infigure 4-. It may be here stated that the present description refers tothe device for feeding the sheets without turning them. The presser foot18 is adjustable along the arms 19 toward or from the buckling members13. If it is desired to raise and lower the presser foot the arm 19 ismounted upon a shaft 109, which is placed in the boss which receives theshaft 7 or the boss which receives the shaft 7*. When the reversefeeding device is operating, the shaft 109 may replace shaft 7, whereas,when the direct feeding device is in operation, the shaft 109 mayreplace shaft 7. The arm 110 on the shaft 109 has a roller engaging thecam 111 on the shaft 3 and the cam serves to rock shaft 109 to raise thepresser foot 18 off the pile while the top sheet is being withdrawn orfed out.

There are arms 29 pivoted at 7 3 and their forward ends are preferablychamfered and rest upon the forward end of the hand feed table 28 nearthe paper gauge 38 and near the impression cylinder. These arms areadapted to swing upon the shaft 73 in order to carry the parts of thefeeder out of the way to make parts of the press accessible for repairsor adjustment and also to throw the automatic feeding device out of theway when it is desired to use the feeder table 28, and to feed thesheets by hand. When the arms 29 are down or in operative position theyincline downwardly fromthe level of the top of the pile to the point atwhich the sheets are fed to the press. On the shaft 7 3 there arearranged the grooved rollers 21 and at the lower ends of the arms 29there is a shaft 74 carrying corresponding rollers 30; and over theseseveral rollers there travel the endless belts or tapes 22 on which thesheets are supported and carried from the sheet separator to the press.I have provided a belt tightener 32 for taking up slack in the tapebelts 22 as conditions may require.

I prefer to arrange a set of tape belts to engage the tops of the sheetsto prevent the latter from being displaced from the tapes 22 and tosecure positive movement of the sheets. For this purpose I have mountedarms 76 in brackets on the arms 29 and they carry a. shaft 77 having aset of tape rollers 37 arranged above the rollers 21; and a shaft 78having a set of tape rollers 36 above the rollers 80. Endless tape belts31 engage over the rollers 36, 37; and their lower runs engage the uppersurface of the sheet which is being carried upon the upper runs of thetapes 22 and they prevent the sheet from flying off the latter andassist in carrying it to the press.

Just in advance of the shaft'73 I have arranged a rocker shaft 23 whichcarries a number of fingers 24 which reach over the shaft 73 and thethin ends of these fingers rest on the top of the pile of sheets nearone edge thereof.

I will here describe the operation of that branch of the invention whichhas been described above. The shaft 3 revolves continuously in thedirection indicated by the arrow as long as the feeding device is inoperation. The cams 2 and 1 periodically rock the levers l6 and thelevers 17 and this causes the revolving members: 13 and the revolvingmembers 1.4 tobe alternately pressed against the topmost sheet of thepile and to be raised up and out of engagement therewith. These members13 and 14 are continually revolved or at least while they are on thepile, and in opposite directions, as indicated by arrows in Figure 4, bymeans to be subsequently described. Assuming that a pile of sheets isarranged upon the table 42 and that the topmost sheet lies just underthe rollers 13 with the fingers 24 resting on this topmost sheet near.its forward edge, the feeding action will be accomplished as follows:The cam 1 acting on the roller 70 will have depressed the rear armof thelever 16 so that the forward arm of this lever will have been raiseduntil themembers 14 disengage from the topmost sheet. Vi hen the lowportion of the cam 2 reaches: the roller 69, the levers 16 rock so thattheir forward ends go down until the buckling members 13 press on thetop sheet of the pile. As these buckling members are revolving clockinFigure 4 the wheels '15 rub and tend to move the topmost sheetrearwardly or toward the left in Figure 4. The friction member orpresser foot 18 presses on the topmost sheet and prevents it from movingbodily, and the result is that the members 15 cause the sheet to bulgeor buckle, as shown at 27 between the buckling menr bers and the presserfoot 18 and the pile as a whole remains undisturbed. This bucklingaction draws the front edge 26 of the top sheet fro-m under the ends: ofthe fingers 24 and the latter then press firmly on the second sheet ofthe pile. The buckling members 13 have thus served the purpose ofwithdrawing the edge of the top sheet from the separating fingers 24 bybuckling a portion of the sheet without disturbing the sheet as av wholeand without altering. the condition of the pile. The high portion of thecam 2 now acts on the roller 69, rocking the levers 16 and raising thebuckling members off the sheet. The foot 18 remains in contact with thetop sheet and as the buckling members disengage from the sheet thelatter tends to flatten out, since there is nothing to maintain the loop27. As the sheet flattens out, the forward edge 26- passes over theedges of the fingers 24 so that this edge of the sheet is now separatedfrom the edge of the sheet below it by the fingers 24 interposed betweenthem. The low portion of the cam 1 then allows the levers 17 to rock andthe members 14 press down on the sheet which was previously buckled. Asthese rollers 14 are turning anticlockwise in figure 4 they move thesheet forwardly. passing it over the fingers 24 and into the bightof therollers 37 and 21. The sheet is then carried by the tapes 22 and 31 downto the gauge 38 in position to be taken by the ordinary grippers (notshown) on the impression cylinder 67 of the press. It is necessary forthe foot 18 to engage the top sheet only until the edge 26 thereof risesover the fingers 24 and after that the foot may be lifted off the sheetby the cam 111 though the rollers 14 may be able to carry the sheetforwardly even if the foot 18 is not raised. The above operations neednot take place in the exact order described. For instance the rollers 14may come down on the sheet before the buckling rollers 13 have beenentirely raised clear of the sheet but after the buckling operation hastaken place, thoughit is preferable that the parts operate in the mannerabove described. .The above operations are repeated and at eachoperation'a sheet is fed to the press.

It will be observed that in the above operations the sheets are fed tothe press 'with, the same side up as they are in the some of the aboveparts-may be bodily transferred to operate for the reverse feeding if Idesired, or a duplicate set of such parts may be utilized for thepurpose. The parts in the reverse feeding device corresponding to 'thosein the direct feed will be lettered with corresponding referencenumerals but with the exponent a added thereto, in order to indicatewhat parts may be utilized for both feeding devices if desired.

The reverse feeding device preferably operates at the rear end of thepile or the end opposite to that on which the direct feed operates.There are bosses in the frame to which theshaft 7' may be transferredbodily, or in which a corresponding shaft 7 may be journaled. The levers16 may be the levers 16 transferred to the new position or they mayconsist of another set provided for the purpose. They carry the bucklingrollers 13 and their rollers 69 are operated by the cam 2 the same asthe rollers 69 in the first device. The levers 17 correspond with thelevers 17 and they carry the feed rollers 14 and their rollers 70 areoperated by the cam 1 the same as the rollers 70. There is a frictionorpresser foot 18 arranged to the right of the buckling rollers inFigure 2, which serves the same purpose in relation to these bucklingrollers as the foot 18 does to the buckling rollers 13.

There is a shaft 23 carrying the separator fingers 24*, which lattercorrespond with the fingers 24, but the former are arranged toengage'the top sheet at the opposite end of tl1e'pile,to that engaged bythe fingers 24.

Thus far, the device for reverse feeding corresponds, except for thelocation of the parts, with the direct feed device. The shaft 3 ispreferably revolved in the reverse direction when the reversing feed isoperat- There is an extension bracket 80 at the rear of the machine,pivoted on the shaft 39 and in which there is mounted a series of taperollers." Theshaft 39 carries a series of tape rollers 44 which arearranged near the end of the pile of sheets and the fingers 24 reachover this shaft in the manner that the fingers 24 reach over the shaft73. There is another shaft 81 arranged higher than the shaft 39 and tothe left thereof in Figure 2, and this shaft is provided with taperollers 49, aligning with the rollers 44. At a still higher point and tothe right of the shaft 81 there is another shaft, 82, which carries thetape rollers which align with the rollers 49 and 44. concentrically ofthe shafts 39, 81, 82, there is a shaft 48 which carries larger taperollers 47. There are endless tape belts 54 which pass over the rollers44, thence partly over the rollers 47 (at the rear), thence over therollers 50, thence over the rollers 49 and back to the rollers 44.

There is a shaft 83 mounted on the frame arm 106 which swings with theframe 80 from the shaft 39, and it carries a set of tape rollers 52disposed near the opposite end of the pile. There is a set of smallguide rollers 51 near the rollers 47. The endless tapes 55 engage arounda large portion of the rollers 47, lying under or at the side ofthetapes 54, and these tapes 55 pass from the tops of the rollers 47 onan incline and below the shaft 3 to the rollers 52, thence partly aroundthe latter to the small rollers 51, thence over the latter and back tothe rollers 47.

On the shaft 82 there is a set of tape rollers 85, and on the forwardend of the movable arms 84 there is a shaft 86 carrying a set of rollers53 aligning with the rollers 85. The endless tape belts 56 engage overthe rollers 85 and the rollers 53 and the lower runs of these belts comejust over the upper runs of the belts 55 and are parallel therewith andincline toward the belts 22 and 31.

The sheet separating device at the left in Figure 2 operates the same asthe one first described except that the parts operate in oppositedirections. The buckling rollers 13 descend into contact with the topsheet of the pile when the low portion of the cam 2 reaches the roller69, The buckling rollers 13 are revolving anticlockwise in Figure 2 andthey cause the top sheet to buckle toward the foot- 18 and this movesthe left hand end of this sheet from under the fingers 24. The bucklingrollers then disengage from the sheet and the feed ing rollers 14 aredepressed and come into contact with the top sheet. As these latterrollers-are revolving clockwise they advance the sheet over the fingers24 toward the left in Figure 2, until the sheet passes between the tapes54 and 55, after which the,

feed rollers 14 are raised again. The sheet is taken by the tapes 54 and55, it is carried part way around the rollers 47 and it leaves thelatter near the top and is carried between the upper runs of the tapes55 and the lower runs of the tapes 85, passing downwardly to the rollers52, 53. As the edge of the. sheet passes from these latter rollersit "38ready to be taken by the grippers on the cylinder 67.

It will be apparent that when the sheet travels part way around therollers 47 it is reversed or turned so that the sheet, if .it waspreviously printed on one side and lay printed side up on the pile 25,will be turned on the rollers 47 and by the time it reaches the tapes 54and 55 and until it is fed to the press, it will have its opposite orunprinted side up. If the direct feeding device is in operation thesheets will be fed the same side up as they appear in the pile and theywill be printed on the upper side; but if the reverse feeding device isin operation the sheets will be reversed as they are fed and the side ofthe sheets which is turned down in the pile will be printed on.

The'buckling and feeding rollers 13, 14 are readily transferable fromone position to the other to change the feed, if one set is to beprovided, or else duplicate sets are provided. When the reverse feedingdevice is to be placed out of operation the frame 80 and arms 106 whichcarry the rollers 52, 53, are swung upwardly on the shaft 39 and thewhole reverse feeding device is swung out of position. There is a pin108 adapted to be inserted in either the upper or. lowerhole 108 in thebracket 107, for

supporting the frame 80 and arms 106 in either their raised or loweredposition. The tapes 22 and 31 are common to both feeding devices whichsimplifies the construction and insures the feeding of the sheets to thesame point on the press regardless of which feeding device is used.While I have referred to the feeding device as operating at differenttimes it will be obvious that they may both be operated at the sametime. In that case one sheet will be fed direct to the press and thenext sheet will be reversed, etc. and the latter sheet may be fed to thepress or it may be delivered from the tapes 52, 53', onto any supportplaced to receive it, and in that case each alternate sheet will beprinted and the others will be separated and removed. This may be donewhere slip sheets are to be removed from the pile during printing.

I will here describe the means for operat ing the several rollers andtapes. On the shaft 3 there is a large gear 5 which operates either oneor both of a train of gears for turning the buckling and feedingrollers. The gear 5 operates the gear 6 which is loose on the shaft 7and this gear 6 meshes with and operates the gear 8 which is keyed orsplined to the shaft 11. The latter is the .verse feed device.

is 'a sprocket 91.

shaft which carries one set of buckling rollers and it is apparent that.the'gears 5, 6, and 8 will turn the rollers 13. There is a second gear9, on the shaft 11 and this meshes with and operates the gear 10 keyedor splined on the shaft 12. The latter carries the feed rollers 14 andit will be obvious that these will revolve in the reverse direction tothe rollers 13. I I f At the other end of the apparatus 1 have providedgears 6, 8 9 and 10? which are operated by the gear 5 and theycorrespond with the gears 6, 8, 9, andlO, respectively, and theyoperate. similar: parts on the re- There is a shaft 92 on "which thereis a gear 35 which is operated by the gear 5. On the same shaft with.the gear 35' there On the shaft 93 there isa corresponding sprocket '94and alsofa gear 34. The latter meshes with a gear 95011 the shaft 73which carries 'the tape rollers 21. At the opposite end of the devicethere is a sprocket wheel 34 aligning with the sprocket 91 and on thesame shaft 97 there is a gear 96 which meshes with the gear '98 on theshaft 39 which carries the tape rollers 44. On the same shaft 39 thereis a gear 58 which. meshes with and operates the gear 59' on the shaft48 whichcarries the tape rollers 47.

These severalsprockets and'gears are preferably arranged on therespectiveshafts outside the frame 40 as shown in Figure 6. There is anendless chain 33, engaging over the sprocket 91, by which it is driven,and also engaging over the sprockets 94, and 34*, which latter, thechain drives. The rollers 50 and the belts 56 are driven by the belts54. The rollers 37 and 36 are driven by contact with the rollers 21 and30, respectively. I

In Figures 7 and 8'1 have showna modificat-ion wherein the buckling andfeeding is done by the same rubbing members. Herein, the cam 60,adjustable on the shaft 3 by meansof the bolt and slot 4,'operates on aroller 62-to rock a lever arn' 61 which is secured to'a shaft 64, thelever being operated in the opposite direction by the spring 102. To thelever arm 63, fixed to theshaft 64, there is pivoted alink 65 whichcarries on its free end a rtibbing member 66 which preferably has arubber or combing wheel surface. The member 66 is adjustable about itsaxis but it does not revolve while in operation. As the lever 61, 63, isrocked by the cam 60, and spring 102, the member 66 is first moved tothe left, as in Figure 7, and this causes the top sheet to buckle at 27and its leading edge to be withdrawn from the separator fingers 24,which latter are omitted in this view. The lever 61, 63, is then rockedin the opposite direction and the member 66 moves to the as showninFigure 8. This advances to provide, gears Orother means for revolvingit.

y The member 66 may have its periphery provided with knurlings ofdifferent coarseness for different papers. I have shown partof itsperiphery provided with fine knurlin'gs 11 1 and 115. The pin 100engages in any of the holes 105 of the member'66 for locking the latteragainst turning and the pin may be Withdrawn and reengaged in differentholes to lock the member 66 Withany of its knurled portions inactiveposition according to the character of sheets to be fed.

.The mechanism herein described operates positively to separate and feedone sheet at each operation. With the combined feed the machine may bequickly changed at Will to feed the sheets either side up, and in thefullest embodiment ofmy invention the same devices areus'ed to carry thesheets to the press cylinder. I do not limit my invention to thearticular form specifically described herein but include all formscoming Within the scope of theannexed claims.

Having described my invention What I claim is:

1. A device for feeding sheets singly from a pile, comprising means forholding a pile of sheets, means for separating sheets singly from saidpile and for feeding them direct, and means for separating sheets singlyfrom the same pile and for reversing or turning said sheets and forfeeding them.

2. A device for feeding sheets singly from ajpile, comprisin means forholding a pile of-sheets, means or separating sheets singly fromcthepile and for feeding them direct "andmeans for separating sheets singlyfrom said pile and for reversing and feeding the sheets, either ofsaid'feedingdevices being adapted to beset into operation at will.

-3. A device for feeding sheets singly from a pile, comprising means forholding a pile of sheets, means for separating sheets singly from saidpile and for feeding them direct to a predetermined point, and means forseparating sheets singly from said pile and for reversing the sheets andfeeding them to the same point as said direct feeding device.

4. A device for feeding sheets from a pile comprising means for holdinga pile of sheets, means for separating sheets singly from said pile andfor feeding them, means for separating sheets singly from said pile andfor reversing and feeding them, said direct and said reverse feedingdevices being adapted to operate alternately on the same pile of sheets.

5. A device for feeding sheets from a pile,

comprising means for holding a pile of sheets, means operating near oneside of the pile for taking the sheets singly from the pile and forfeeding them direct, and means operating near another side of the pileand adapted to take the sheets single from the pile and to reverse andfeed the sheets.

6. A device for feeding sheets from a pile, comprising means for holdinga pile of sheets, means operating near one side of the pile and adaptedto take the sheets singly from the pile and to feed them direct to aconveyor, means for taking sheets singly from another side of the samepile and for reversing the sheets and feeding them to a conveyor, and acommon conveyor adapted to receive the sheets from said direct or saidreverse feeding means.

7. A device for feedin sheets from a pile, comprising means for dioldinga pile of sheets, means for taking sheets singly from one side of saidpile and for feeding them direct to a conveyor, means for taking sheetssingly from another side of the same pile and for reversing and feedingthem to said conveyor, including revolvable means and means for carryingthe sheets partially around said revolvable means, a belt conveyoradapted to feed the reversed sheets from said reversing means, and abelt conveyor adapted to receive the sheets either from said directfeeding device or from said last mentioned conveyor.

Signed at New London, county of New London and State of Connecticut,this 23 day of September, 1919.

JOHN H. STONEMETZ.

